Attention Paid to Abidewithme

The NZ Racing Desk reports:

Abidewithme will contest Saturday's Gr.2 $100,000 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa as something of a tune-up for the Gr.1 $200,000 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

But that doesn't mean she won't be winning.

That's the word from her Matamata trainer Jason Bridgman, who is thrilled with the five-year-old Redoute's Choice mare ahead of the weight-for-age fillies and mares' feature.

Much of Bridgman's confidence ahead of the weekend stems from a dashing trial at Cambridge last week, when Abidewithme went to the line under a strong hold from stable rider Matthew Cameron, a neck behind last year's Cal Isuzu Stakes winner Diademe.

"That was probably the most impressive she's ever trialled," Bridgman said.

"She loves hard ground and that's what she got at Cambridge. I just hope she gets a good three track at Te Rapa this weekend. Te Rapa is not a track she's had much luck on. It's a track you can't afford to get held up at because the boat sails pretty quickly there."

A winner of six of her 15 starts, Abidewithme has finished eighth in the Gr.2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic and seventh in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes in her previous two Te Rapa starts.

In three starts this preparation, she has finished fourth in the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings, fifth in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic at Hastings and second in the Gr.3 Sofitel Luxury Stakes at Ellerslie last month.

"She's done really well in the interim. Normally a mare doesn't need a lot, but I gave her that quiet trial at Cambridge more to have her ready for the Zabeel Classic than for this one," Bridgman said.

"I didn't want a flattening run at Te Rapa 13 days before the Zabeel Classic and that trial should have topped her off nicely. She should go a bold race in a fresh state. I expect her to be a winning chance - they will know she's in there anyway."

Meanwhile, Bridgman is hoping for a little easing of the track at Awapuni for his Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes hopeful No Tricks.

The Savabeel filly is having just her fourth start on Saturday, having won and twice placed so far, but she was just a neck from Abidewithme at the trials and Bridgman is optimistic she can be competitive at Awapuni.

"If O'Marilyn is on her A-game, we'd all be running for second and third. It's a strong Eulogy field this year and this will have her ready for the Ellerslie carnival at the end of the month," Bridgman said.